Your kidneys are small organs that are responsible for performing various critical functions in your body. Some of the functions carried out by the kidneys are purifying the blood, eliminating waste through urine, generating hormones, harmonizing minerals, and maintaining fluid balance. Alcohol abuse, high blood pressure (BP), diabetes, and HIV infections are some of the causes that can lead to kidney disease. Apart from conventional treatment methods, avoiding certain foods can also minimize the symptoms of these diseases.
Soft drinks
Soft aerated drinks, specifically dark colas, not only contain fat and sugar but also include certain additives containing phosphorus, which is harmful to your body. They do not act like the natural phosphorus, which provides nutrition to your body and binds to the protein. On the contrary, phosphorous found in additives are in the form of salt and the intestines absorb it.
Canned food
To preserve the canned foods for a longer period of time, sodium is added to these in humongous quantities. This is the reason why the consumption of these are forbidden for pregnant ladies, a patient who has cancer, and people with the propensity of kidney disease.
Wheat bread and brown rice
While for healthy individuals whole-wheat bread and brown rice are advised over flour bread or white rice, it is not the same for people with kidney disease. If you have any kidney problem, your doctor will prescribe you to avoid whole-wheat bread and brown rice because of the presence of phosphorous and potassium in them. Moreover, both the whole-wheat bread and brown rice are rich in sodium. So, if you cannot cut either whole-wheat bread or brown rice from your diet completely, it is better to check the nutrition labels on them before purchasing.
Tropical fruits
Once again, tropical fruits like bananas are a healthy fruit for everyone except those suffering from kidney disease. They are rich in potassium, and though it is natural potassium, the proportion of it is higher than the consumable limit for kidney patients. So, you must avoid it in your daily diet. You can still have pineapple in moderate quantity as it has a significantly lower level of potassium as compared to the other tropical fruits, and you can consume it as an alternative.
Dairy products
While milk is a highly recommended dairy for almost everyone, it is strictly prohibited for kidney patients. This is mostly because of the presence of a high quantity of phosphorus, potassium, and protein in the milk. If with kidney disease, you consume too much of phosphorous, it is going to have adverse effects on your bones. It builds up in the blood and, over time, weakens the bones, causing severe damage.
Processed meats
These have always been associated with various chronic diseases and are strictly prohibited for pregnant ladies and kids. Patients suffering from kidney ailment are also advised to avoid consuming processed meats. To increase the shelf-life, a lot of sodium is added to these meats, which is not good for you if you have any kidney malfunctioning. Moreover, it is too high in protein, so you should consult with your doctor before consuming processed meats.
